RMT tables response to LU at ACAS Tube dispute talks
TUBE UNION RMT has set out a position statement in talks with London Underground at ACAS over pay, night tube and continuing job cuts. The LU management have taken away the statement, and responses from the other unions, for consideration.
RMT’s position covers the following ground:
- Suspension of two fleet trainers at Ealing Common without pay for carrying out lawful industrial action. RMT’s sees this as provocative, aggressive and an escalation by LU and demands an assurance by the end of today that the staff have been returned to work immediately with their pay reinstated.
- RMT will continue to engage through the ACAS process on the three separate issues in dispute, Fit for the Future Stations, Pay and Night Tube. The settlement of these issues will need to be properly resourced to secure progress.
- RMT opposes the “gun at the head” conditional and confrontational approach adopted by LU which is not conducive to constructive talks. Current agreements must not be undermined or overridden as part of the process. The pay offer of 1% in 2015 and RPI or 1% in the two subsequent years is not acceptable and the union seeks a guarantee of RPI plus. However, in order to make progress RMT suggests deferring immediate discussion on pay at this time.
- RMT is not opposed to Night Tube by agreement and with all issues properly addressed, including:
Rosters and Work/Life balance for all grades to be properly agreed with no one required to work more nights and weekends than at present. Headcount reviews will be required to meet agreed staffing levels in all functions
All volunteers for Night Tube to be properly rewarded, in order to facilitate the new working practices we expect proper rewards and recognition for all.
Transitional Night Tube proposals for Train Operators to be developed, agreed and extended to all functions and grades as part of any agreement.
The Fit For the Future proposals to ensure that all staff have comparable numbers of weekends off with appropriate changes to current agreements to allow new means of rostering the future cover structure which is to be agreed by consent.
General Secretary Mick Cash said:
“RMT has made it crystal clear from the start that in return for the very basic guarantees and assurances sought on work life balance that the union will work to agree a final form of station rosters for all areas. A final agreement would have as its basis the best work-life balance and reward for staff while addressing the needs of the business which may well require additional staff resources.
“London Underground and the Mayor can throw out whatever propaganda they like direct to staff but until these issues are addressed, and the threat of imposition of the rosters is removed, the dispute will not be resolved and it is now time for them to recognise that and to start negotiating seriously around our position statement. We’ve seen the proposed rosters and if management and Boris Johnson want to know what staff think they should take a trip to depots like Leytonstone and White City and hear what our members think of being rammed in to what are now known across the job as the “rosters from hell.”
“It is also clearly difficult to make progress while Boris Johnson, as Mayor of London and Chair of Transport for London, is boxing in his negotiators through the media while refusing to get his hands dirty himself by talking to us. That is a major obstacle and is at odds with the way that the First Minister intervened directly in Scotland to broker a settlement in the ferries dispute. The ball is now in LU and the Mayor’s court.”